Automatic heat regulator



Patented Apr. 29, 1947 iJNli'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC HEAT REGULATOR Milton E. Chandler, New Britain, Conn.

Application January 20, 1944, Serial No. 518,990

3 Claims.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an automatic control for shifting members such as valves, operatable by variations in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the device and by the internal pressure of the heating medium.

In heating systems where heat is distributed to various heat dispensing units or radiators, it is a common fault for the units nearest the source of heat to receive heat and give it oil before units further removed from the source of heat have received any heat. It is a purpose of this invention to provide means attached to the heat distributing system whereby either all of the units receive heat simultaneously, or if desired, the unit furthest from the source of heat may be adjusted so that it receives heat first, or last, as so desired.

In single pipe steam systems it is necessary that the heat flow to the radiator and the condensate return to the boiler through the same pipe. The control of the flow of heat tothe radiator in such a system requires that the valve at the radiator be either fully open or fully closed, and this invention is especially adapted to meet such a requirement, and to so control the valve to a single radiator or to a group of radiators that the heat flowing to the radiators will be such as to l: e the atmospheric air at the desired temperature. By means of this invention it will be possible to control the heat of all the rooms at the temperature desired when a single pipe system is used. The invention is not, however, limited to single pipe steam systems, but may likewise by used advantageously with a two pipe system, and could likewise be used with a pressure type hot air distributing system.

A further object of this invention is to provide a system whereby, if desired, none of the radiators receive heat until a pre-determined pressure has been built up in the heating system, and then the different radiators or heat dispensing units can receive heat in the sequence desired.

A further and important purpose of this invention is to provide means for supplying humidity to the different rooms during some portion of the heating time.

Referring now to the drawings:

One form of the invention is shown in Figure 1; another form is shown in Figure 2; and Figure 3 is a small diagrammatic arrangement of the necessary controls. A description of Figure 1 follows:

#i denotes any standard form of steam boiler. Passag 3 is the outlet from the boiler to the radiator. Passage 2 is the return pipe to the lower part of the boiler. 3! is one form of the control mechanism of this invention. 5 is the outlet passage from the control valve to a section of a radiator 6, having a vent valve 1.

The automatic control valve 3| is comprised of two main castings 24 and 25. Held between the two castings is a diaphragm assembly 8, by means of a plurality of studs and nuts 26. The diaphragm 8 is a flexible partition forming upper chamber 3!} and lower chamber 29. There is a communication between the two chambers by means of orifice ii], seat l4, passage 28. There is also a communication between chamber 30 and atmosphere, through passage 28 and seat l3. The screw in which seats it and !3 are contained has a leak-proof threaded engagement with casting 25, and by means of resilient gasket l!) chamber 30 is sealed from the atmosphere except by means of passage 28 and seat l3. Attached to diaphragm 8 is a valve stem 1, to which is attached valve i, which, when seated in seat 32 of casting 25, closes the entrance to passage 5. Attached to valve stem 3 are valves II and I2 P which are designed to seat respectively in seats attached to casting 2% by means of holding screw 33. The bellows is adjusted up and down by means of thumb screw 22 working on screw 2! which is attached to the bellows. By this means the device can be made to be responsive to a wide temperature range. Spring 29 exerts a continuous downward force on bellows 3T. Housing 23 has several large holes 27 in it for the purpose of allowing air to freely circulate around the bellows. Insulator 39 prevents the heat from casting 24 from influencing the temperature of the air surrounding bellows 37. A spring 9 in chamber 30 engages diaphragm 8 so as to normally bias diaphragm 8 and valve 4 toward an open position.

The functioning of Figure l is as follows: with the parts in the position as shown, the temperature of the air surrounding the bellows 31 is sufficiently high so that no heat is called for from radiator 6. The pressure in 29 has overcome the force of spring 9 and the valve 4 is therefore seated and there is no flow of heat to the radiator. Valve H is seated on seat It and chamber 30is therefore in communication with the atmosphere and is under atmospheric pressure.

When the air surrounding bellows 31 cools a little, bellows 3'| contracts, opening valve At this particular point, valve 2 is also unseated so that there will escape to the room a certain amount of steam, providing humidity. The amount of this humidity-providing steam can be controlled by properly proportioning the size of orifice l and the size of valves H and I2, and seats I4 and I3. The interval of time during which both of these valves are open will depend on the rate at which bellows 31 responds to temperature change. This rate change is dependent upon the volatility of the fluid in the bellows. A further lowering of the temperature of the air surrounding bellows 31 causes it to contract still further until valve |2 is seated and communication 28 is closed to atmosphere. Valve H is then open and a communication is formed between chambers 29 and 39. The pressure in chamber 39 will therefore quickly build upto the pressure in chamber 29 and spring 9 will quickly overcome the unbalanced force on valve 4, and valve 4 will open wide, allowing heat to flow into radiator and allowing the condensate to drain out of the radiator and back to the boiler. Valve 4 will stay completely open until the temperature of the air surrounding bellows 31 causes it to expand slightly, thus taking valve l2 off of its seat and again allowing steam for humidifying purposes to pass into the room'. A further rise of temperature causes bellows 3'! to expand further, seating valve H and openin up chamber 39 to atmospheric pressure, whereupon the pressure in chamber 29 acting on diaphragm 8 will be sufilcient to overcome the force of spring 9, and valve 4 will quickly move to its seat, shutting off the flow of heat to radiator 6. Spring 9 will be a very low rate spring so that it will travel very quickly once a certain force on it has been reached.

A description of Figure 2 follows:

This embodiment of the invention consists of two principal castings, 48 and 49; passage 4| connects to the boiler, passage 42 to the radiator. Diaphragm 5! is held between the two castings by means of a multiplicity of studs and nuts 59, forming two chambers 53 and 54. Screw machine part 18 in which is located orifice 19, seat 99 and seat 9|, is threaded in a leak-proof manner into casting 48. A resilient gasket 82 seals the upper part of 78 against the upper portion of casting 49. Valve 43 seats in seat 44 of casting 48. It is guided on 45 of nut 46 which closes the opening in casting 49 through which the valve 43 is inserted. Valve 43 is attached to yoke and held in place by nut 12. Yoke 19 is also attached to screw machine piece 69 and is held in place by nut 1|. Stem 59, having a slot 58, is attached to diaphragm 5| by means of nut 50. A yoke 91 is attached by threads to part 59. Part 6'! has horizontal projections I I9 that, under certain conditions, engage collar III of part 69.

Pivoted at 55 is lever 56, having two arms at right angles to each other, one arm engaging at 51 with slot 58 of part 59. Another arm 2 is connected at ,65 with spring 64. Pivoted at 63 is another lever 6|, likewise having two arms, one arm engaging a slot 68 in piece 59 at 62. The other end of this lever is connected at 66 with the other end of sprin 64. In chamber 53, spring 52 pushes down on diaphragm 5|. A variable size shim 93 is between the spring 52 and upper wall of casting 49. By means of this shim, the

force of spring 52 can be varied. Other means may also be used without altering the scope of this invention. Valves 83 and 84 are attached to stem 85 which is connected by pivot 86 with link 81, which is pivoted at 89 to support 98. Bellows 9| is connected by pivot 90 to lever 81. Bellows 9| is attached to case 91 by means of screw and spring 94 and thumb nut 96. Case 91 is fastened to casting 49 by screw 92. Holes 98 are in casing 91. There is an insulator I33 on top of casting 49. Screw 73 with a conical tip 16 is threaded into the side of casting 48. When in the position shown, shoulder ||4 prevents leakage of the heating medium. When it is threaded inwardly as far as possible conical tip 16 engages lip 11 of yoke 10 and resilient gasket 15 forms a seal against the outer wall of casting 48.

The operation of Figure 2 is as follows:

The parts as shown illustrate the position of the parts when heat is called for from the radiator, but when the pressure in the heating system has not risen to the operating pressure desired. As soon as sufficient pressure has been attained, diaphragm 5| will be forced upward against the force of spring 52. When this happens, arm 56 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, moving spring perch 95 in an anti-clockwise direction. Parts 59 and 59 begin to separate at l5. Spring 64 connecting 55 and 65 as shown exerts a force holding valve 43 on its seat. As soon as perch 65 reaches a certain point in an anti-clockwise arc, the center line of the spring will pass pivot point 63 and the force of the spring will be such as to move 69 in an anti-clockwise direction, and by means of the engagement at 82 with slot 68 of part 59 will cause the valve 43 to be snapped into an open position. If for any reason the valve sticks, there will be an engagement of the horizontal fingers H9 of part 67 with the collar 69 and the total upward force of the diaphragm 5| will cause the valve 43 to be lifted oif of its seat, spring 84 givin a quick opening as soon as it is past the pivot point. Steam will now be supplied through a wide-open valve 43 and valve seat 44 to the radiator. As soon as the air surrounding bellows 9| reaches the desired temperature, bellows 9| will expand, moving valve 83 off of its seat. Valve 84 will not as yet have been seated so a certain amount of steam for humidifying purposes will be forced into the room. As the temperature around bellows 9| rises further, valve 84 will be seated and pressure in chamber 54 will be communicated through orifice l9 and valve seat 89 and passage ||6 into chamber 53 which will very quickly reach the same pressure as chamber 54; spring 52 will then push down on diaphragm 5| causing arm 56 and spring 64 and arm 5| to assume a position closing valve 43. Diaphragm 5| will continue in a downward direction until piece 59 contacts piece 59 at H5, thus holding valve 43 on its seat and stopping the flow of heat tothe radiator.

Screw 13 can be manually engaged with lip 11 so as to continually hold valve 43 on its seat regardless of the demand for steam.

In Figure 2, the valves to the different radiators are normally closed and will remain closed until sufficient pressure has been built up in chamber 54 to exert a force on diaphragm 5| suflicient to overcome the force of spring 52, thus opening valve 43. The force of spring 52 may be varied in different radiators by means of shim 93, so that at some radiators the valve 43 opens at a lower pressure than' at other radiators. The

system may be thus balanced so that the radiators get steam in the sequence desired.

In Figure 3, 99 represents a boiler; I an oil burner; I0! a pressure control which starts and stops the burner, dependent upon pressure; thermostat I02 located in the room, which starts or stops the burner as a function of room temperature; radiator I05 with vent I29; automatic control valve E99 which is the subject of this invention, connected by pipe I08 to the top of the boiler and drain pipe I30 to the bottom of the boiler. I03 represents an automatic water supply mechanism to the boiler, connected to a source of cold water supply 104.

This system may be operated so that the burner is started and stopped to maintain a desired pressure in the boiler, or it likewise may be started or stopped by means of a thermostat I92 located in some part of the house. I have shown semi-diagrammatically one form of the invention, but the scope of the patent is not to be so limited. The humidifying steam may or may not be conducted to a point more remote from casing 90. than is shown.

I claim as follows:

1. In combination, a steam generator, a steam supply line connecting said steam generator to a plurality of radiators, a mechanism for controlling the flow of steam to each radiator, comprising in combination a casing having an inlet and an outlet and a connecting passage therebetween, a main valve controlling said passage and moveable between open and closed positions, a pressure operated means comprising two chambers, a moveable wall separating said chambers for operating said valve, one chamber which is subjected to the pressure of the steam on the inlet side of said valve, a first passage connecting the second chamber to atmosphere, a second passage connecting th second chamber to the inlet, a spring urging said main valve to one extreme position, a pilot valve means controlling said passageways directly connected to a temperature responsive means and moveable thereby between one end position wherein said first passage is open and said second passage is closed and an opposite end position wherein said first passage is closed and said second passage is open, said pilot valve means being effective in intermediate positions thereof to open both passages and thereby admit steam to the atmosphere.

2. In combination, a steam generator, a steam supply line connecting said steam generator to a plurality of radiators, a mechanism for controlling the flow of steam to each radiator, comprising in combination a casing having an inlet and an outlet and a connectin passage therebetween, a main valve for controlling said passage and moveable between open and closed positions, a pressure operated means comprising two chambers, a moveable wall separating said chambers, snapa spring urging said main valve to one extreme position, a pilot valve means controlling said passageways directly connected to a temperature ponsive means and moveable thereby between one end position wherein said first passage is open and said second passage is closed and an opposite end position wherein said second passage is open and said first passage is closed, said pilot valve means being effective in intermediate positions to open both said passages and thereby admit steam to the atmosphere.

3. Steam heating apparatus including a steam generator, a plurality of radiators, a single fluid line connecting said generator and said radiators, and a mechanism for controlling the flow of steam to each radiator, said mechanism comprising a valve moveable between open and closed positions, spring means biasing said valve to closed position, means responsive to the pressure in the conduit leading to the radiator for operating said valve against said spring means, means for varying the force of the respective spring means to control the sequence in which steam is supplied to said radiators upon the initiating of steam supply to said line, and means responsive to the temperature of the space adjacent each radiator for preventing opening of said valve by said pressure responsive means when said temperature exceeds a predetermined value.

MILTON E. CHANDLER.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,039,358 Spencer May 5, 1936 2,244,555 Harris June 3, 1941 2,200,729 West May 14, 1940 1,103,215 Montreuil July 14, 1914 1,760,199 Jannssen May 27, 1930 2,040,109 Spence May 12, 1936 2,155,796 Mayner Apr. 25, 1939 1,611,554 Pinkham Dec. 21, 1926 441,648 Curtis Dec. 2, 1890 2,003,585 Dunham June 4, 1935 2,273,127 McGoldrick Feb. 7, 1942 2,232,934 Baak Feb. 25, 1941 2,103,178 Raymond Dec, 21, 1937 642,154 Perry Jan, 30, 1900 1,321,395 Rustige Nov, 11, 1919 

